The Last Goodbye
by oh.kd
Summary: The hardest thing in the whole wide world is losing the girl you planned on spending forever with.
1. Chapter 1

**the last goodbye**

If there had been one thing they had learned throughout their high school experience,

it had been far much deeper then the simplest way to solve a polynomial or the square root of 75.

It wasn't that you should never wear socks and sandals or eat the cafeterias sloppy joes.

Mr. Will Schuester thought, as he sat at the front of the audience watching the matured faces of each student he had taught as they stood up and shook principal Figgans hand as he handed them a black folded that, undoubtedly held their ticket out of here. Out of Lima Ohio.

The lessons they could look back on while waiting to graduate or even moving into their dorm in the university.

It was the life lessons.

The tough stuff.

Truth is, was it's the easiest thing in the book.

Treat each other the way you want to be treated. Don't be mean. Don't Discriminate.

They had spent all their four years learning what that truly meant. Glee club was all about the tough stuff really. Like Rachel had said all those years ago "Being apart of something made you special." Had she been right?

It was High School. You didn't have the kids at the bottom of the pyramid of society, believing that they were in fact special.

It was a hard thing, Mr Schuester realized as he stood and clapped for the class of 2012. It was a hard thing watching them go.

Not only his Glee kids go but all of them. The ones who pulled it together and passed, the ones who graduated with honors and he felt his heart clench for the ones who weren't here today. The ones who hadn't made it.

In the movies that make High School seem like its the best time of your life, but those movies don't really focus on the ones who studied every night for chemistry or the ones who got slushied every now and then, did they?

Kids would be kids,

And the truth is, getting through what these kids had been through was something he believed was harder then anything then any adults would ever experience.

It was the kind of thing you never truly got over.

* * *

><p>Even until this day he would wake up in a cold sweat, knees weak and a grossly chill crawling down his back.<p>

Sometimes he even woke up screaming her name or reaching out for her or something.

His mom didn't get much sleep either those nights.

She had suggested a psychiatrist. Many times. Just as Principal Figgans had ordered when all was restored to their normal Lima Ohio lives.

After that nobody really returned to normal though, well who would after something like that?

Everything kind of flipped upside down. It was like taking a blank piece of paper, crumpling it up and then unfolding it again, trying to smooth it down best as possible.

It would just never be the same.

He sat in his dress suit in his kitchen, a cold Root Beer in his hand. He could hear everybody laughing and mingling just outside in his back yard. Carole and Kurt had insisted on having the Glee kids over to the house after the Graduation ceremony. One last time kind of thing, you know?

Finn twisted on the stool he was sitting on, smiling down looking at his root-beer. He should have been out their celebrating with them, but he just needed some kind of break from it all. A moment to catch his breath.

The sliding door slid open and Finn looked up, expecting it to be his mom coming in to refill the pasta salad but it wasn't.

She stood there in her summer dress that was fittingly formal for the occasion. Her hair was pinned back at the sides and she smiled up at him from under her bangs. His breath caught in his throat.

"What are you doing in here, you're missing the party?"

He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. It was his immediate reaction with her. "Just needed some time, you know?" He gave her his crooked smile and she walked towards him. Her eyes infinitely concerned.

"Is everything OK Finn?"

She was just as gorgeous as the first day he met her. She had been accepted to NYU at the beginning of the school year and he had never been so proud of her. She rested her small hands together on the counter, right beside his soda.

"I told myself a year ago that If I ever got out of Lima, it would be the happiest day of my life." He looked at her, her eyes big and brown. He placed his big hands beside her hands, but not touching hers. "And now I realize how much I would give just to stay around a bit longer, you know?"

He couldn't tell if the tears in her eyes were made up of joy or sadness.

"Rach, please don't cry." He said, he wanted to lean over and wipe the tear that rolled down her cheek. She gave him a sniffled smile.

"You made it Finn." His heart was either breaking or growing an inch or two. "You have the world ahead of you."

He couldn't smile for her. All the things in the world he could have done for her, but he would not lean forward to pull her into his arms. He couldn't do that to himself.

He was leaving in exactly one week for Michigan. The University there had offered him a Football scholarship. Rachel was right, he did do it.

She leaned towards him now, and he knew by the look in her glossy eyes what she wanted from him now.

He jumped off the stool he was sitting in, backing away from her.

"Finn, I-" And just like he always did, he waited for the next few words to come. But as he knew, they never did.

"Rachel, I think you should go back." He said, nodding towards the glass doors where Kurt and Puck and Mercedes all mingled on the other side.

It was hurt, pain was the first thing that flashed across her face and she looked down at her shoes. That look, it always gave him those fucking chills that ran down his back until he felt sick but he wouldn't stop pushing for it. "Rachel, go. I'm sure they've all missed you by now."

His joke didn't come out the way he had wanted it to and all it did was take a few more hits on his own damn heart. She turned from him, and all he could do was watch her go without saying another word.

* * *

><p>"Shit!" She cursed as she dropped her folder to the ground.<p>

Finn turned around towards her and got up from the chair he was sitting in to grab it for her. She was a slender lady. Very pretty, and young. He was surprised. Whenever he thought of a "Shrink" He always thought of a guy with glasses and a notepad or something.

It kind of weirded him out.

"Oh Sorry!" She huffed and walked to her desk which he had been sitting in front of for the last ten minutes. "I spilled coffee all over my cardigan and had to change."

After dropping the rest of the handful of paperwork she had been carrying, onto her desk she took a seat and sighed, turning to look at him for the first time.

"Finn Hudson?"

He nodded and she gave him a smile, and then turned to open one of the folders she had just dropped. She scanned over it briefly, nodding and occasionally looking up at him.

"So from what Dr. Krummens has stated is that you came to talk to me about the event that occurred on May 15th 2011." She pushed her glasses up from the bridge of her nose and looked at him now. "Well Finn, I am a psychiatrist and I want you to open up to me as much as possible. It is my job to help. And no matter how hard these next few sessions will be for us, I want you to try your best for me."

She was nice. She didn't talk urgently or commandingly. She was kind, kind of like his mom. He liked that. He gave he a tight smile, fiddling his thumbs in his lap.

"Oh!" She smiled warmly. "I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Mrs. Boker."

"It nice to meet you." he smiled, and watched as she pulled out a notebook from her desk drawer.

"Talk to me Finn." She smiled at him.

His heart raced like it always did, but what was the quote that used to say? You can't run from your past?

Well he accepted that a long time ago, and now was the time to throw it all out.

Leave it all behind in Lima before taking off and starting somewhere else.

Somewhere new.

He took a deep breath and looked at Mrs. Boker who smiled in return.

"Whenever you're ready"


	2. Chapter 2

One of the problems he had was that he remembered it like it was just yesterday.

He could still smell the fresh cut grass and the smell of summer in the air.

It was the time of year where the girls traded in the jeans for skirts and all the students ditched there homework to go to the local drive in.

Pretty much everything was great.

It was exactly one week before New Directions traveled to New York for Nationals, and absolutely everyone in the Glee club was beyond excited.

Everyone sat in their seats in the choir room as they waited for Mr. Schuester to walk in.

Everyone chattered to eachother. Talking about the hotel they would be staying in, in New York or the other teams they were up against. Nobody denied being nervous. They had never been this far before. But Finn secretly knew that after the performance given at Regionals, they could do anything. From the corner of Finns eye he could see Rachel as she animatedly swiped her hair behind her shoulder and talked with Kurt.

Finn knew New Directions wouldn't be anywhere without Rachel.

"So, have you chosen what you're going to wear to prom yet?" Finns attention was grabbed as Quinn snapped her fingers in front of his face. He turned to look at the blonde who held his hand beside her.

"Uhm What?" He asked, she rolled her eyes.

"If we're going to be prom king and queen, we have to dress the part Finn." Finn smiled at her, well his girlfriend and nodded.

He still didn't understand why she was so excited for prom. It was like, weeks away while Nationals was only one week away.

Before she could say anything in return Mr. Schuester strolled in, wearing a charming grim. "Good afternoon guys."

It was strange, having their Glee meeting at lunch but truth is Finn would have rather been here then sitting in the cafeteria and waiting in the line up for forty minutes.

"Sorry about having to call the meeting during lunch." Mr. Schue apologized and began handing out papers. "The only reason I called this meeting was because we still need to fill one more form out before Nationals guys. Just get these signed tonight and bring them back to me tomorrow at rehearsal." When the forms were distributed, everybody simply glanced at them before returning to the chattering.

"Uhm Mr. Schue," Rachel's perky voice pitched in and Finn looked over to her, raising her hand. "Mr. Schue I would just like to discuss what will be happening after Nationals when we return with the first place trophy of course!" Rachel flashed her 100 watt smiled and Mr Schue smiled.

"Well Rachel, I thought that when returning from Nationals we'd just return to our basic assignments. Considering you guys are graduating next year I will try my best to enjoy the time we have together." He said thoughtfully. "Senior year is a big year, and I understand if some of you don't want to be apart of Glee next year. I understand how hard it is to find time to fit everything into one day. So I will do my best to make the end of this year meaningful. I'll show how much this whole Journey has meant to me."

Mr. Shue smiled, proud of his piece.

Rachel smiled tenderly and looked down at her lap. Everyone fell into an appreciative silence, and Finn enjoyed it.

He loved where he was right now. And even if he didn't know where he would be this time next year, he knew that for now, he was happy.

The bell rang abruptly, cutting the silence and everyone shuffled to grab there bags and walk towards the door.

They left the classroom, each student going different ways, parting through the hustle and bustle of the High School hallway. He was heading towards History. He doesn't even remember why he took it.

"Finn!" Someone called behind him, He turned around to find no one else but Rachel Berry smiling towards him. "Finn!" She shouted over through the kids pushing past her. He almost laughed. Her disadvantage was that she was short. He walked back towards her. "Hey Rach, whats up?"

She smiled, looking up at him. "I just wanted to let you know how excited I am to preform with you at Nationals. We will for sure have a duet, I'm sure of it. I'm very excited," She trailed off for a second, scrunching her eye brows together before looking back up at him. "...Because of your talent of course! I'm not excited to perform with you for..well...other reasons." She said, looking down at her shoes. He smiled and turned towards her.

"I'm excited to perform with you too Rachel." He said and flashed her his crooked smile. She couldn't help but smile up at him.

There had to be only five minutes left to get to class, so he decided to walk with her down the hall when he heard yelling.

"What'd you just call me you loser?"

Finn and Rachel both turned towards the ruckus where Jacob Ben Israel was cornered into the lockers by three big football players Finn had never really been friends with.

"I never said-" They both could see how nervous Jacob Ben Israel had been, he was avoiding eye contact with all of the football players. Rachel immediately sighed, her heart going out to him.

The head of the football group hassling Jacob, Eric, smashed his fist into the locker.

"Tell me what you said about me or I'll beat the shit out of you right here and now."

Finn frowned and Rachel called after him as he marched down the hall towards the brawl.

"Eric!" Finn was calling, Rachel followed behind him, not letting him get into the middle of this. "Eric leave him alone."

Before Finn was within a few meters from the scene, he saw Jacob reach into his back pocket and pull out something long and black.

That moment, right there.

It was like those scenes in movies where its in slow motion, where you're sitting at the edge of you're seat, telling the people on the screen to move, run or react in anyway, but they don't.

Finn stopped where he was, the moment still moving in utterable slow motion but with the length that the time was passing he did not have a second to react.

He watched for a second, as the gun came up pointed in Jacobs hands, and it was just after that, that Finns legs began working again.

Turning on his heels as fast as he could he ran, just as a shot defend him. All he could focus on was Rachel.

Rachel Rachel Rachel who stood behind him, eyes wide and horrified.

Rachel who had only come to make sure he wouldn't get into some kind of trouble.

Rachel who was in danger now.

He grabbed her by the waist. Her body was rigid. frozen. Paralyzed in fear.

Kids were screaming, but Finn didn't dare to turn around. He wanted to scream at her to look at him, to look at something, anything other then what was behind him. But her eyes stared endlessly, taken over with fear.

Over the sound of screaming kids, another shot rang out and Finn picked Rachel up as best he could and ran as fast as his legs would carry him.

His brain wasn't working right. All he knew was they had to get to safety.

They had to get through this.


	3. Chapter 3

The first classroom with an open door he could find was the choir room.

He flung himself through the door, dropping Rachel who fell to the ground, he slammed that door shut behind him.

The wooden door cut off some of the screaming in the hallway. His hands wouldn't stop shaking. He rested his forehead against the door, trying to catch his breath but his heart was racing in his chest at a thousand miles per hour. He slammed his fists against the door. Again and again and again. Until a strangled cry left his throat.

He wouldn't cry now. He was still chocking on the sobs of fear when he remembered Rachel.

Spinning around quicker then he imagined, she had crawled up behind the piano. Finn thanked God for the locks on the choir room door as he locked it and ran to the girl crying behind the piano. Her eyes were wide open, tears streamed down her pale face.

He almost lost it at the sight of her.

His hands had been shaking, but her whole small body was jerking back and forth, shaking violently, choking on sobs that left her throat strangled.

"Rachel." She cried, and dropped to his knees and pulled her into his chest. The sobs came harder now, he was nearly positive she was in hysterics.

He couldn't help her. He couldn't do anything to make it stop.

"Rachel, Rachel, Rachel." He repeated over and over again. Whether it was to comfort her, or to comfort him.

Just making sure she was real, that she was here, that they were o.k.

He didn't know how long they sat like that. He just held her as close to his chest as possible until she stopped crying and staring blankly. Finally, she moved, tilting her chin so she looked up at him. Her mascara had run down her cheeks and her face was paler then he had ever seen before. She was still beautiful though. "Finn." Was all she said and thats all he needed to hear.

"We have to get out of here Rachel. We have to figure out what's happening."

When he knew she was going to be ok he stood up from the floor and walked cautiously towards the door.

Outside the window, he could see that the halls were empty. Deserted.

Two shots had been fired in the school from what he knew. They're could have been more. People could be dead.

People he knows, teachers, his friends.

Dead. Gone. Not coming back.

Finn covered his face with his hand as he tried to gain control and think of what to do next.

"I saw someone die today."

It was Rachel's voice, stronger then he had heard all day. She sat up straight with her legs tucked into her chest. She looked lost and broken and tired and sad and it broke Finns heart.

What could he do or say, he just sat there staring at her.

"Eric. Eric Holland, wasn't that his name? Eric Holland." She repeated for her own sake. He'd expected her to cry, maybe it was because he was close to crying but she held herself together. Maybe she had cried herself dry. "He's dead."

Finn turned back to the door and pounded his fist against it once more. Two hours ago Finn had been writing a Calc test. Four hours ago he had been at home, eating mini wheats for breakfast. Twenty minutes ago he had told Puck to lose the mohawk, told Kurt he'd meet him at his car in the parking lot to drive home. He can't even remember telling his mom he loved her.

"Do you have your phone?" Rachel asked, he turned to her now, feeling the pocket of his jeans and let out a sigh of relief as he pulled it out.

"Is it too dangerous to call, you think? Should I just send a text?"

Rachel nodded and Finn mass messaged everyone he could find on his phone. Mercedes, Puck, Artie, Brittney, Santana, Sam, Lauren, Mike, Tina and Quinn.

His big shaking fingers slipped off the keys, causing it hard to text but it was legible and he sent it.

Sent it praying to God that he would get ten texts in return.

It took Finn a moment to pull himself a memory. He could tell his eyes were glassy and he looked down at his hands which were shaking in his lap. He took another deep breath, bringing himself fully back to reality. He was here. _This was now._

He looked up to Mrs. Bokor, who sat with her glasses pushed back on her head. He didn't see pity or vulnerability in her eyes, but kindness. Raw and real kindness.

"I'm going to have to stop you there for now." She said looking at the clock behind his head. "I'm sorry we have to stop so abruptly, but you're coming in tomorrow right?" She said gently. He nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets before standing up.

Before he turned to leave her office she called after him.

"I know it's a hard thing to do. But thank you Finn. Thank you for sharing this with me."

And with that, he nodded to her one last time before he turned around to leave.

Finns mom picked him up from Mrs. Bokors office. She bombarded him with question he didn't want to answer the whole ride home. Half way during the drive she realized and stopped asking and the rest of the ride home was in silence.

He didn't stop to spare a look at the tv or look in the fridge when he got home, he ran straight to his bedroom and crashed on the bed. He swore he wouldn't do this in her office at least, but he brought his hands to his face and choked on sobs.

Of course it was hard talking about. That one day, that one event, that was what the rest of his high school experience had been built on and around. Hell the rest of his life would be built around that.

He forcefully ran his hands over his eyes, wiping away the tears that had fallen.

Why had this happened to him. To any of them really. A school shooting in Lima Ohio?

It was one of those things that you swore that as long as you lived it would never happen to you. It wasn't even something you considered. It wasn't something you knew how to handle, up until the point where you have a gun pointed to your face and you have to handle it.

He sat at the edge of his bed now with his hands in his head as a sharp knock at his door surprised him. He sighed. "Mom I'm busy right now..."

But instead a tiny voice sounded from the other side of the door. "It's not your mom, it's me." She said as the door squeaked open slowly.

She poked her head around the door and looked at him. Her eyes immediately became concerned.

"Finn what's wrong?" She asked, closing the door behind her and coming close to sit on his bed.

He stared at her for a moment. Her perfect face, her perfect body, her perfect everything. She was perfect. Nothing less.

"Hey Rach." He gave her a strained smile, and she comfortingly pushed his hair away from his face.

"Finn, what's the matter?" He could feel the tears brimming his eyes now and as much as he didn't want to cry in front of her, he couldn't fight it any longer. The tears spilt over and he wanted nothing but to hold her and kiss her and love her, but he couldn't. He couldn't do that to himself, or her. He savored the thought of her fingertips on his skin as she wiped away his tears.

"I went to the doctor today Rach." He cried. "I talked about it today. I talked about it for the first time in a year." He let his head fall into his hands as she sat beside him rubbing his back and his head, telling him it was ok.

It was going to be ok.

"I love you so much." He mumbled into his hands and he even though he knew it wasn't going to come, he waited for it anyway. He waited for her to tell him what he wanted to hear for so long now.

But it never came.

"I-" She began, just like he expected. "I'll see you later."


	4. Chapter 4

**thanks so much for the reviews. i just want to clear some things up. you have to understand the difference between finns story and the reality. all your questions will be answer, it's just one of those wait and see stories :) thank you!**

_be aware that this chapter can get confusing! i've tried my best to indicate what part is apart of finns story and what part is the reality. please be aware when reading! thank you_

* * *

><p>They had stayed in that classroom for what seemed like forever.<p>

Rachel didn't say much and she stayed sitting under the piano. Finn checked his phone every ten seconds, waiting for replies.

"Have you heard anything yet?" Rachel asked quietly, Finn shook his head and they sat in silence for the next half an hour.

The hallways stayed deserted, and at 1:37 Finn's phone vibrated.

_Puck: I'm with Quinn and Artie, we're ok. Hbu?_

Finn almost cried in relief. He jumped up from the chair he was sitting on and smiled at Rachel.

"Rach, Quinn and Artie and Puck are ok! Thank God!"

Rachel smiled her biggest, but after a few seconds it faltered.

Finn looked at the girl as she cowered underneath the piano. "Rachel, whats wrong?"

"Nothing." She said, looking at her hands and shaking her head. "You must be so relieved, your girlfriend. She's ok, right?" Rachel smiled at him.

Finn sighed and walked over towards the piano where he sat cross legged on the floor to look at her. She looked like a little kid who had hid under their parents bed during a thunderstorm.

"I'm just as relieved as you are that they're ok Rachel." He said gently, "Quinn, she's great and very pretty." He said, "But she's nothing like you."

Her eyes became so big and round he couldn't help but smile when he stared into them.

"You still mean the world to me Rachel."

Maybe it was the tense atmosphere, or the might-as-well-put-all-the-feelings-on-the-table-considering-you-might-not-get-out-here-alive feeling Finn had, but he meant it. Every word he said.

She threw her arms around him, and he pulled her close and they just sat like that in silence.

A few moments later, Finns phone buzzed again and he untangled himself from her to check it. A lump rose in his throat as he read it.

_Mercedes: I'm with Tina, Mike, Santana and Brittany. Everybody's fine here. Where are you? What's happening now?_

Before Finn could reply his phone buzzed again and the next message popped up,

_Sam: I'm ok, so is Lauren. We're with Mr. Schue in the science lab. The police are in the building. We're meeting up with the rest, they are in the room across from ours._

It was like a wave of relief washed over Finn, the police were coming. They were going to stop this, they were going to get through this.

Finn jumped off the ground. "Rachel, we're safe! Rach, the police are here! We're ok!"

Rachel squealed and jumped up and gave him another hug.

Finn pulled away with a smile on his face, "Rach, we should go meet up with the others! They're in the science lab!"

The science lab was only down the hall. Wasn't too far of a walk and considering they hadn't seen anybody in the hallways for the last three hours, and the fact the police were on top of everything, what was the worst that could happen?

Finn was pulled out of the memory as Mrs. Bokor cleared her throat. "Finn we only have a couple minutes left.."

Finn looked up at her with wide eyes that looked close to tears. "Please can I just finish. It's almost over. I need this out. I need this gone." He chocked, his voice thick with tears.

Mrs. Bokor didn't have anymore clients for the rest of the day. She would let him finish. She would do what she had to to help him in the way he needs to be helped.

Finn tangled his fingers together as he sat on the edge of the seat. His breathing got heavier and he closed his eyes, diving back into the memory.

The empty hall way, Rachel smiling at him, Rachel.

"Finn, it's the science lab right?" Rachel said, walking infront of him and turning around to ask. He remembers exactly what she was wearing that day,

A summer dress.

She was _beautiful._

"Yeah, Rach. Be careful."

She tip toed down the hall but for some reason all his fears were gone. He was home safe. They all were.

They made it.

"Rachel!" He called and she spun around gracefully on the heel of her shoe. She was so overwhelmed with relief that it came off as happiness.

"Yes?" He walked up to her.

~ "She smelt like vanilla." Finn scrunched his eyes together, still half lost in the memory and half lost in his own reality. "And Daisies."

Finn took her hand and pulled her close, close enough for her to blush a deep red that reached her cheeks. He ran his fingertips over it.

Before she could say anything, he said it first.

~"I told her I loved her." Finn choked. "I told her that I had always loved her and that would never change."

She smiled her gentlest smile and it warmed his insides. She opened her mouth and he knew what she was going to say. He knew exactly what she had been waiting to say ever since the day they had broken up. She was going to tell him, and he was going to be happy and he was going to hold her close and kiss he and never let her go.

_"I-"_

~Finn shook with sobs. "He came around the corner, and I never saw him. She was standing between us. He was standing behind her."

Rachel choked on the last two words he had been waiting to hear.

He watched her.

He watched her as her eyes flew open. Confusion, pain, shock, everything flashed across her eyes and he saw every single emotion that did before she choked on her last breath.

Mrs. Bokor had her hand to her mouth, preventing her cries as the 17 year old boy sat infront of her crying his heart out.

~"She fell into me. I don't-I don't think I realized what had happened until I put my hand on her-her back. There was-bl-bl-blood everywhere."

"Rachel!" Finn wailed. "Rachel, Rachel,Rachel."

Jacob Ben Israel stood on the opposite end of the hallway with the gun still pointed in their direction.

Just as Finn was about to go after him the police swarmed in. Teams with bullet proof vests, helmets and guns took down Jacob.

But Finn's only attention was on the dying girl in his arms.

Her eyes were fluttering shut, and he knew that she was using up all of her strength to keep them open.

"Someone help us!" Finn sobbed, loud enough for it to echo endlessly through the hallways. Somewhere at the back of his mind he knew he was screaming, shaking her, begging her to stay with him.

"Rachel please. Please don't do this! I need you! I need you! I love you!"

He rested his head on her forehead as he watched as the rest of her strength was lost and her eyes closed.

~"The police came over to me, they asked me all these-these questions. Whether I was fine-or hurt or anything, and I just-I kept screaming, why were they asking me? She was dead. She-she was hurt. She wasnt ok. Save her. Save her. Not me. They didn't-they didn't-"

"Finn." Mrs. Bokor cut him off, with tears trailed down her cheeks.

He looked up at her for the first time. His face was splotchy and red and his eyes were still full of tears.

"I know you're going to tell me it wasn't my fault. I know you're going to tell me that life goes on and things will get better with time." He sniffed. She looked down at her hands, lacking words to tell the teenage boy. "But what if it doesn't?"

Before he could answer he turned to her and smirked and dark smile. "I still see her you know?" He rubbed his eyes and continued. "It's like she's real."

She was at all loss for words.

"I never went to her funeral. I never saw the casket or those stupid fucking flowers they put all over her grave. I didn't say goodbye to her." He huffed, tears falling down his cheeks. "I see her everywhere. I see her in everything. She haunts me." A few more tears fell down his cheeks. "It's like she's _real_. She's so real and she talks to me and asks me about my day, but she's just a ghost. I know she's not real but she's _there._" Finn wailed. There was only a second of silence.

"Why?"

He looked up at Mrs. Bokor, as if he was acknowledging her presence for the first time. As if he remembered just exactly why he was there.

"Why what?"

"Why?" She repeated, wiping her tears with her finger tips. "Why do you think you see her?"

He paused for a second, as though the question had taken him by surprise. Maybe it was never something he really considered. Rachel was so built up in his head and in his heart, he just assumed that she came to him because there would never be a time where he truly got over this. Maybe he was wrong.

"I think," He started, "I think maybe I'm still waiting to hear those three words she never got the chance to say."


End file.
